For information only – not an official document

UNIS/NAR/1441
20 May 2021

The International Narcotics Control Board commences its 131^st session, elects new President and Bureau Members, continues work to ensure availability of internationally controlled substances

VIENNA, 20 May (United Nations Information Service) – Work to support Governments in ensuring the availability of internationally controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing illicit cultivation and production, diversion, trafficking and abuse, including during emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, continues at the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) 131^st session. It is being held in a hybrid format from Vienna to enable Members to participate virtually from around the world. At elections held yesterday, the Board elected officers for one-year terms.

During the session, which is taking place from 17 to 28 May 2021, the Board will continue to monitor the compliance of Member States with the three international drug control conventions and the functioning of the international drug control system. The Board will pay particular attention to the timely supply of and access to controlled drugs during emergency situations. It will also continue its work on the development of guidelines for the control and monitoring of cannabis and cannabis-related substances.

The session opened with a meeting of the Board's Standing Committee on Estimates, which is charged with reviewing national estimates of requirements for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medical and scientific purposes and annual legitimate requirements for precursor chemicals for licit industrial use. The Board will review the activities of its INCB Learning Programme, which is aimed at improving availability of controlled substances for licit purposes by building monitoring and reporting capacity at the national level. The Board will also consider the activities and outcomes of its Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme, which is supporting governments in addressing the challenges posed by new psychoactive substances and non-medical synthetic opioids.

The composition of the INCB Bureau following the 19 May elections:

• Jagjit Pavadia - President of the Board
• Galina A. Korchagina - First Vice-President
• H. H. Sevil Atasoy - Second Vice-President and Chair of the Standing Committee on Estimates
• Raúl Martín del Campo Sánchez – Rapporteur and Member, Standing Committee on Estimates

Officers elected by the Board:

• Zukiswa Zingela - Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Estimates
• Jallal Toufiq - Chair of the Committee on Finance and Administration
• César T. Arce Rivas - Member, Standing Committee on Estimates
• Cornelis P. de Joncheere - Member, Standing Committee on Estimates and Member, Committee on Finance and Administration
• David T. Johnson - Member, Standing Committee on Estimates
• Viviana Manrique Zuluaga - Member, Standing Committee on Estimates
• Bernard Leroy - Member, Committee on Finance and Administration.

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INCB is the independent, quasi-judicial body charged with promoting and monitoring Government compliance with the three international drug control conventions: the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, and the 1988 Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Established by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the thirteen members of the Board are elected in a personal capacity by the Economic and Social Council for terms of five years.

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For further information please contact:

INCB Secretariat
Telephone for media inquiries: (+43-1) 26060 4163
Email:  incb.secretariat[at]un.org 
Website:  www.incb.org